A 48-year-old man has been arrested and charged with arson; the charges are believed to be connected to a fire that tore through a commercial warehouse in Hasbrouck Heights four months ago, injuring two civilians and a firefighter. Adulkoder Dahhan, identified as a Syrian national, was booked into the Bergen County Jail on nine charges following his arrest on Wednesday, October 14.
Dahhan faces three counts of second-degree aggravated arson, along with charges of causing widespread injury or damage, aggravated assault and criminal mischief, according to jail records cited by Paramus Daily Voice. Two of the assault counts involve paid or volunteer firefighters, while a third involves an allegation of serious bodily injury, the same jail records show. The charges stem from a June 9 incident in Hasbrouck Heights that a law enforcement source said is believed to be connected to a massive warehouse fire on Industrial Avenue, though that source referred Daily Voice to the prosecutor for further details.
The building at the center of the case is Top Quality Auto Group at 101 Industrial Avenue, a commercial warehouse used for automobile sales and storage, according to Facebook posts from Jersey Alerts shared the night of the fire. The property is in Hasbrouck Heights' industrial section.
Fire Erupted Inside a Vehicle Before Spreading
The blaze began inside a vehicle within the warehouse shortly after 7 p.m. on June 9, according to a MetroLaw report. Firefighters found several vehicles burning, according to a report from Daily Voice published the day after the fire. The blaze quickly escalated to a second-alarm response, drawing multiple fire departments to the Industrial Avenue scene. Firefighters reported heavy smoke pouring from the building along with possible burn victims as crews battled the flames for hours.
Eight neighboring departments — Wood-Ridge, Carlstadt, Hackensack, Saddle Brook, Wallington, Little Ferry, Moonachie and South Hackensack — provided mutual aid to help suppress the fire and keep emergency coverage running in the borough, the outlet's report noted. Mutual aid crews also had to juggle a concurrent traffic collision on Route 17 while local firefighters remained tied up at the warehouse. The fire drew personnel from across Bergen County and left multiple vehicles inside the warehouse with severe fire damage.
Three Hospitalized, One Sent to Regional Burn Center
Three people were hospitalized as a result of the fire, including two civilians and one firefighter, according to a report from Robert A. Solomon, P.C. One civilian was carried from the building by emergency personnel and transported to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, the same report said.
Arson Carries Mandatory Prison Time Under State Law
The Tormey Law Firm lists a prison term of 5 to 10 years and fines of up to $150,000 per count for a second-degree aggravated arson conviction under N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1. Aggravated arson involves intent to harm, property damage or destruction, and reckless endangerment, according to the firm. Both second-degree aggravated arson and second-degree aggravated assault are classified as violent offenses under New Jersey's No Early Release Act, which under N.J.S.A. 2C:43-7.2 requires convicted defendants to serve at least 85% of their court-imposed sentence before becoming eligible for parole, according to Denholtz Criminal Defense.
Dahhan was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack following his arrest. Key questions remain unresolved, including the alleged motive behind the fire, Dahhan's connection to the business or property, and how he will plead when the case reaches Superior Court.
